Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disposable toothbrush, and more particularly to a disposable toothbrush which can be easily carried by a user when he/she is on a business trip or travel, or going out for a meeting, and wherein the toothbrush can be conveniently used any place and freely disposed of after use.
In general, just as it is said that a healthy body can be assured by healthy teeth, having healthy teeth is a barometer of a healthy body. Nonetheless, when people are away from home for a business trip or travel, or are going out for a meeting, most dislike carrying a toothbrush because of the relatively large size, and accordingly often neglect tooth brushing due to the burden of bringing the toothpaste along with the toothbrush.
Meanwhile, as an alternative to carrying a toothbrush and toothpaste when out and about, some people purchase an additional toothbrush and toothpaste from a nearby store or a vending machine on site. This might be an economical burden for the individual, and such a thoughtless consumption further causes a waste of resources to the nation.
There is accordingly a need for an economical, easy-to-carry toothbrush for use away from the home.
Description of the Prior Art
As an exemplary prior art, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009-0320226 discloses an oral care implement, wherein a toothpaste storage part is provided at a head portion, and a film matrix is attached to the head portion. The oral care implement of this prior art reference has drawbacks in that, since the film matrix is simply attached to the head portion in a plane versus plane contact, the contacting area therebetween is too small to provide a strong bonding. There is no separate restraining portion to restrict the film matrix with respect to a direction of tooth brushing, so the film matrix is easily detached from the head portion.
Furthermore, the aforementioned oral care implement has drawbacks in that the film matrix of the head portion is composed of a toothpaste material in a compressed form, which makes it difficult to attach the film matrix to the head portion through the elastomeric bristles. Besides, since the film matrix is in a relatively large form, it is not easily dissolved.
Additionally, the walls of the gel capsule taught in the exemplary prior art are described as frangible, thin walls that easily rupture when rubbed against teeth. This fragility may be undesirable in a portable toothbrush, which could inadvertently be pressed into the inside of the user's pocket or purse, could be jostled against other toiletries in the user's bag, or could be accidentally exposed to moisture such that the gel capsule could burst or dissolve and release the dentifrice contained within the capsule at an inopportune time.
Further still, the aforementioned oral care implement is disadvantageous in that a toothpick part provided at the rear end portion thereof is in the form of which the outer diameter becomes smaller from the inside to the outside, which makes it inconvenient to remove foreign materials deeply clogged between the teeth using the toothpick part. Moreover, the toothpick part as such can abruptly exert an excessive force between the teeth, which can widen the gap between the teeth and lead to high risks of damaging the gums.
Finally, the prior art is disadvantageous in that it does not allow for the controlled release of a toothpaste or bad breath removing cleaning agent. Dentists and Dental Health Associations worldwide agree that a proper tooth brushing session should last at least two minutes. A person usually begins the tooth brushing process by brushing her front teeth, then working her way back to her molars, or she may alternatively begin on one side of her mouth and work her way over to the other side. With toothbrushes such as the one described above, the cleaning agent is released immediately and all at once, and has largely dissipated by the time the user reaches her molars or the teeth on the other side of her mouth. There is therefore a need for a toothbrush that provides for a slower release of the cleaning agent such that more equal amounts of toothpaste or other cleaning agent are distributed to each region of the user's mouth during the two minute tooth brushing session. Likewise, it is advantageous to provide a means for delivering a precise amount of cleaning agent, thereby avoiding the waste caused when a user loads excess toothpaste onto her brush for each use.